Folding easel



J. W. MAMER FOLDING EASEL Filed May 10, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

V I Patented Apr. 24, 1951 FOLDING EASEL John W. MamerjBerkeley, Calif. Application May 10, 1949, Serial No. 92,269

3 Claims. (01. '45 's0) This invention relates to improvements in easels 1 4 and provides a new type of easel which folds into book form and which is provided with the conventional eyelets for filing in the customary looseleaf folder where it is always accessible for use for convenience or through necessity.

Conventional easels are usually bulky and when not in use must be stored separately from any notes, sketches, or the like, therefore not being convenient or instantly. accessible for such purposes.

The easel which is the subject or my invention,

folds flat and can be filed in the conventional loose-leaf binder along with any notes, sketches, copies or the like, and when required, can be removed from the binder as easily as any loose-leaf sheet and instantly set up for use for research work, taking notes, copyingfrom books, pam phlets,and for any other purpose where it is desired to support an element in a position perpendicular to the line of sight, and is therefore also very convenient for stenographers.

The objects and advantages of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide an easel which is complete with base, ledgeand table and which will fold into a fiat, compact unit when not in use.

Second, to provide an easel as outlined which can be filed in a, conventional loose-leaf binder when folded flat.

Third, to provide an easel as outlined which can be set up for use in an absolute minimum of time and with minimum effort, and which when set up will provide a rigid support for a book or the like.

Fourth, to provide an easel as outlined with leaf holders which can be retracted when not to be used.

Fifth, to provide an easel as outlined which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture, instantly collapsible, storable in a looseleaf binder if desired, and which is immediately accessible for use.

In describing the invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing the invention in wide open or extended position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention shown set up for use.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the invention with a book supported and held in open position.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the invention as filed in a loose-leaf ring type binder. I

The invention consists of a folding easel which can be made of fiberboard, pressboard or the like with or without fabric or paper facing, or of plastic, and consists of a pair of covers including a base I formed of a rectangular sheet of the material and an easel table I I of the same material and of the same size as the base, and a hinged back consisting of two elongated strips of the same material, I2 and I3 whichare hinged together along'one edge as indicated at I4 and with the other edges hinged to, the respective covers or base and table as indicated at I5 and I6.

Both back strips are provided with registerable binder holes or eyelets as indicated at I1 and I8, and a plurality of fingers or page holders I9 are retractably secured to the back member I3 as by riveting indicated at these holders being preferably formed of a resilient material such as fiber board, plastic or spring metal and are arranged to turn down to a position parallel'with the edges of the back strip as indicated by the dotted fingers at I9.

Arest 2| is secured to the base It] as indicated at 22 with the back edge 23 located a distance equal to approximately 1.4 times the width of the back member I3 from the hinge I5, and a pair of flexible members such as tape 24 are coincidently fastened at one end by the fasteners 22 with the end of the flexible member secured under the rest.

A support or strut 25 formed of the same material as the base and table has one edge hinged to the base adjacent the rear end as indicated at 26, and the two straps 24 have their other ends fastened to the forward edge of the strut as indi- 'joint I4, with the strut 25 lying fiat on the base as indicated in Fig. 4, the holders I9 being retracted to the position I9, the device being filed in the folder 28 with the rings 29 passing through the eyelets I7 and I8. 7

To set up the easel, the table I I is swung up and the strut is raised as high as the straps will permit. The table is lifted and moved back, causing the hinged back to hinge about the joint I5, and the joint I6 is rested back of the rest 2| and the table is rested against the strut, thus completing the easel with the ledge I2 at right angles to the easel table. A book or other papers can be placedin position and the holders I9 turned up to the positions shown in solid lines to keep the leaves from turning and maintaining the position in the book.

As illustrated, the easel assumes an angle of degrees, though this angle is easily varied by wid 1. A folding book type easel comprising, a first cover member, a first back member, a second back member, and a second cover member all hinged together in series and formed of; relatively rigid. sheet material, a support member having one edge hinged adjacent the free end of the second cover member, and movement limiting means cooperating between the second cover member and the free end of the support member for limiting the angular rise of said support member, and locatingm'eans, on said second cover member for comti w h a e h aii he, h n e. nection pointbetween the f rst covermemb'er and first back member in predetermined position'when thefback members are. moved over the second cover memberwith saidj first back member. forming a V ledge and said s con back member forming asupp'ort therefor; andfsaid support member providing su port irbrthefirsficover member in lined qsi n fiQ e asel a d. cat n ean qqmpri'sin q fst ippt material ex en n pa al el o thebadsmmhersand lo at d wl thits ooperat v ed e t. a. d ance Qt ubst tially.

imesm hewwidth-qisaidfirst ba member to ju t. the-back members. to angles vof. approximately degrees to the siirfac of the second cover member, to form said ledge and said support therefor, and fixed to said second cover member, and saidrfirst cover member being supported at the same angle by said support to form the ledge at right angles to the easel formed by the first cover member.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1; said movement limiting means comprising a" plurality of flexible straps having each one end fixed to the free end of the support member and the other end fixed under said strip and forming coincidently a part of said locating means to cooperate with the back of said hinge connection point to prevent movement of the said hinge connection point toward the freekend of the second cover member to form a rigid easel.

3. 'A structure as defined in claim 2; registrable eyelets formed in said first and second back members or. filin Qn he r n s-0f. at oose- 93a? inde and a eoldin fin o d Of? e i i lzz terial and movable to two positions respectively projecting upwardly; above the. ledge, and folded flat n t th ledge: o itud nal y e e t or closing of the easel,

MAMER;

REFE EN ES: I P

Bhe following references, are of:- record in the file of this patent:

NIT STATES" PATENTS 

